Laundry tray unit or the like



H. G. COORDES LAUNDRY TRAY UNIT OR THE LIKE June 4, 1940.

2 SheetQs-Sheet 1 Filed Jan; 16, 1939 INVENTOR June 4, 1940. H. G. COORDES LAUNDRY TRAY UNIT 03 THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

Filed Jan. 16, 1959 I1VVENTOR CaLx/ ATTORNEY Patented June 4, 1940 Harry G. Coordes, Detroit, Mich.,

assignor to Briggs Manufacturing Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application January 16, 1939, Serial No. 251,082

4 Claims.

This invention relates in general to a combination laundry tub or sink unit pressed or formed from sheet metal, preferably sheet steel, by stamping, drawing, forming and/or bending 15: operations.

'An object of the invention is to provide an article of the foregoing character having a double sump or basin construction formed from a single metal sheet and adapted tobe utilized for laundry 10 purposes 'as a laundry tub or in part for the purposes of an ordinary sink.

'A further object of the invention is to provide a combination laundry tub or tray unit pressed or otherwise formed from sheet metal, preferably from a single sheet, and embodying a double sump construction and an upright splash panel or splashback, the unit being formed with marginal fianging aroundthe sumps and the edges of the splash panel so as to provide a completed an article of durable and strong construction 'as well as of attractive appearance which may be given an enamel finish substantially free of blemishes and imperfections.

A further object is to provide a one piece 25 pressed metal combination laundry tub or tray unit of double sump construction in which the junctures of the rim and splashback and of the two sumps are smooth and seamless in character thereby providing an article which may be more 36 readily and attractively finish coated.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming .a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a combination laundry tub or sink unit embodying a double sump and upright splash panel, the illustrated structure being formed from a single metal sheet.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section taken substantially through lines 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig.3 is a transverse sectional elevation illustrating the blank after preliminarily drawing one of the sumps or basins.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the blank shown in Fig. '3.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the blank after 50 preliminarily drawing a second basin or sump. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the blank after completing the draw of the basins or sumps.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the blank after forming or bending up the splash 55 panel or splashback.

Fig. 8 illustrates the blank of Fig. 7 after forming the top and end flanges on the splashback.

Fig. 9 illustrates the blank of Fig. 8 after forming the apron fianging and after certain trimming operations.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a double sump combination laundry or sink unit formed with a flat marginal rim extending around four sides of the basins.

Fig. 11 is a vertical section taken substantially 10 through lines H-|| of Fig. 10 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of con- 15' struction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of the prior art.

In Fig. 1 there is illustrated, by way of example, at A a combination sink or laundry tray unit having a double sump construction and constructed in accordance with the present invention. In the present instance, as shown in Fig. 1, the combination laundry tub or laundry tray unit comprises a relatively deep drawn basin or sump 20 and a somewhat shallower basin or sump 2|. Extended upwards from the rear-Side of the basins is an upright splash panel or splashback 22 which is formed with continuous rear- 5 wardly extended fianging comprising a top horizontal flange 23 and vertical end flanges 24. The top and end flanging 23 and 24 of the splash panel are formed with inturned wall flanges 25 extending around three sides of the splash panel 22. The sumps or basins 2B and 2| terminate at their upper'end and front edges in an outwardly extending "generally horizontal rim 26 and this rim terminates in a depending apron 21. The lower edge of the apron flanging 21 is formed with inturned fianging 28 which extends along the front and ends of the sumps 20 and 2|. The rim 26 as also the depending apron 21 extends continuously around the three sides of the sumps, and the rear ends of the apron 21 merge p referably seamlessly into the vertical splash panel flanging 24 at the locality of the area 29. The rim 26 also merges seamlessly into a generally horizontal back ledge 30 which extends the full length of the article between the back walls of the sumps 20 and 2| and the upright splash panel, this ledge 30 merging seamlessly into the splash panel and preferably extending substantially in the same plane as the rim 26.

The adjacent upright walls of the sumps or basins 29 and El are spaced apart and seamlessly joined at their upper edges by a partition rim 3| which separates the sumps or basins at an intermediate point. Intermediate the upper edges of the front, back and end walls of the sumps and the rim 26 and ledge 3!], there is formed a step or offset 32 extending continuously around four sides of the basins. This offset in effect forms a single primary basin which merges into the sumps 20 and 2! which in effect form subbasins within the confines of the primary basin. The front and rear ends of the partition Wall St merge smoothly into the step or offset 32 and the upper edge of the wall 3| lies in substantially the plane of the bottom of the step 32 and, therefore, slightly below the plane of the marginal rim 26. The upright splashback 23 is also preferably formed with an outwardly embossed panel 33 lying entirely within the area of the splashback. This panel may be embossed and pierced to provide apertures 34 to receive faucets. The bottoms of the sumps or basins 20 and Z! are also embossed and pierced to provide drain openings 35.

The combination sink and laundry tray unit A is formed from a single metal sheet in a series of dies, as more fully shown in the copending application of Vincent J. Graf filed on the date of filing of the present application. It will be understood that the relative depths of the basins or sumps 20 and 2| as well as the depths of either or both thereof may be varied as desired and that the basin 2!, for example, may have the same depth as the basin :20, or vice versa, to

1 provide a double sump unit for laundry or sink purposes only. In the illustrated embodiment of Fig. 1 the sump 2| is somewhat shallower so as to serve both the purposes of an auxiliary laundry tub and a sink. It is preferred that the laundry tub or sink unit be formed from a generally flat blank of sheet metal, such as sheet steel, of suitable size in which the sumps or basins are preliminarily drawn in successive operations. By means of a suitable draw die apparatus'the blank B is pressed or drawn to provide the sump 22!, the condition of the blank after this operation being illustrated in Figs. 3 and l. After performing the operation of preliminarily drawing the sump 20 the blank is introduced into a die apparatus which functions preliminarily to draw into the blank B the basin or sump 2|, the condition of the blank after this operation being clearly shown in Fig. 5, and it will be seen that the blank, after completion of the preliminary draw operations, is provided with two spaced sumps or basins terminating in a flat marginal horizontal rim and that the upper edge of the partition 3! lies at this time in substantially the plane of the marginal areas of the metal surrounding the basins.

The partially finished unit of Fig. 5 may then be introduced into a suitable die apparatus for the purposes of completing the draw of the basins or sumps 2B and 2|. Such an apparatus preferably functions to restrike the sumps so as to complete the final shaping and drawing thereof. In addition, such apparatus may finally shape the upper partition wall 3i in the manner illustrated in Fig. 6. Moreover, the apparatus is utilized to form the offsets or steps 32 exsired. After the foregoing operations the blank will have a construction substantially like that illustrated in Fig. 6 with the marginal rim of the blank appearing approximately like that shown in dotted lines at 6|. The articleis then preferably placed in a suitableapparatus and It will be the edges of the blank trimmed to approximately the shape shown in full lines at 62 in Fig. 6.

The blank, after having the edges trimmed, as shown'by comparing the dotted and full lines BI and 82, respectively, of Fig. 6, is preferably introduced into a suitable die apparatus which functions to form up the splash panel 22. This panel is bent up along a continuous line extending longitudinally of the article and spaced rearwardly of the back walls of thev basins a suitable distance to provide a 30 of the desired width.

In asucceeding operation or'operations carried out in a suitable die apparatus the article of Fig. '7 may be formed with theembossed panel 33 and in addition with the continuous flanging 23 and 24 extending rearwardly along the top and ends of the splash panel. that a single apparatus 'or die mechanismbe utilized to produce both the top flange 23 and the end flanges 24 as well as the embossed panel 33 in the manner shown in Fig. 8. In forming the continuous flanging 23-24 'it is preferred that the marginal metal of the splashback be pressed or drawn rearwardly substantially along the dotted line 13 of Fig. '7. The integrally joined metal areas C and D are simultaneously drawn-or pressed rearwardly in the same direction while generally flat ledge It is preferred 1 at the same time the metal areas indicated at E and F are held in fixed position within the die mechanism. Thus, the blank after 'this operation. may present substantially the condition shown in Fig.8, the splash panel having-the continuous fianging 23-44 which preferably merges seamlessly into the horizontal flanging F extending around three sides of the sumps and the splash back having the embossed panel .33 within the area thereof.

In a succeeding operation the article of Fig.8 may be introduced into a suitable die apparatus which operates to form the down turned apron fianging 2'! extending around thefront andends of the basins. It will be understood that prior to this operation theexcess metal at points 'M' and 75 (Fig. '8) may be trimmedoff if desired.

After formation of the downturned apron flanging 21 the lower edges of this flanging maybe finish trimmed in any suitable trimming mechanism preparatory to the formation of the inturned flanges 28 (Figs. -1 and 2) along thelower edges of the apron 21 andthe Wall flanges :25 along the top and end edges of the splash panel 22. Prior to the formation of these fiangesthe opposite upper corners of the splash panel may be notched at 8| and the opposite front lower corners of the apron 21 notched at 82. Thus, the final article may have substantially theappearance illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 in which the entire structure is formed from a single blank and is seamless substantially throughout.

In Figs. 10 and 11 there is illustrated a comconstruction having a relatively flat horizontal rim 95 extending around all four sides of the sumps. This structure is preferably produced in accordance with the steps of the method described above in connection with Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive. The blank of Fig. 6 in the condition thereof illustrated in dotted lines may be trimmed in a suitable trimming or blanking mechanism so as to provide the rim 95 of Figs. 10 and 11 which is preferably of uniform width along all four sides of the basins. In the same operation in which the rim 95 is trimmed or blanked out from the unfinished blank of Fig. 6 it may also be punched or pierced to provide a series of spaced slots 96 for the reception of fastening devices by means of which the article of Figs. 10 and 11 may be mounted in a table assembly.

It will be understood that various changes in the order or sequence of the steps of the method may be made and that other methods may be employed for producing the described articles without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. In the present instance the ledge 30 extending continuously along the rear of the bowls or sumps 26 and 2| and merging smoothly into the coplanar rim 26 has approximately the same width or slightly greater width than the width of the turned rim 26. However, the ledge 30 if desired may be substantially wider and in like manner the rim 26 may be made wider, if desired, and the apron flange 21 may be formed to a greater depth. It will also be noted that the partition rim 3|, after it is finally shaped, lies substantially at the same height as the bottom of the step or offset 32, the rim 3| merging seamlessly into this step so that the marginal rim 26 in the finished article extends to a greater height than the partition rim or member 3|.

I claim:

1. A laundry tub or sink unit formed from a single metal sheet and comprising two fluid receiving bowls pressed into laterally spaced portions of the metal sheet whereby the adjacent upright walls of the bowls are spaced to provide an upper partition rim, the metal beyond the bowls being bent down to form a marginal turned or rolled rim formed as a seamless part of a depending apron extending continuously around three sides of the bowls, the metal at the fourth side of the bowls being bent up along a seamless unbroken line spaced rearwardly of the bowls to,

provide at once a ledge and an upright splashback, the walls of said sumps having a stepped formation at their juncture with said turned rim and said partition rim merging seamlessly into said stepped formation in a plane below the plane of said ledge.

2. A laundry tub or sink unit comprising two fluid receiving bowls pressed into laterally spaced portions of a single metal sheet, the two adjacent v transverse upright walls of the bowls being spaced apart from front to rear of the unit and joined by a transverse relatively narrow partition rim merging seamlessly into front and rear longitudinally extending generally horizontal flanges extending the lengthof the unit forming two sides of a continuous cuter rim or ledge extending entirely around the bowls;

3. A laundry tub or sink unit comprising two fluid receiving bowls pressed into laterally spaced portions of a single metal'sheet, the two adjacent transverse upright walls of the bowls being spaced apart from front to rear of the unit and joined by a transverse relatively narrow partition rim merging seamlessly into front and rear longitudinally extending generally horizontal flanges extending the length of the unit forming two sides of a continuous outer rim or ledge extending entirely around the bowls, the remaining three upright walls of each bowl having a stepped formation at their junctures with said outer rim, and said partition rim merging into said stepped formation in a plane below the plane of the outer rim.

4. A laundry tub or sink unit comprising two fluid receiving bowls pressed into laterally spaced portions of a single metal sheet, the two adjacent transverse upright walls of the bowls being spaced apart from front to rear of the unit and joined by a transverse relatively narrow partition rim merging seamlessly into front and rear longitudinally extending generally horizontal flanges extending the length of the unit forming two sides of a continuous outer rim or ledge extending entirely around the bowls, the remaining three upright walls of each bowl having a stepped formation at their junctures with said outer rim, and said partition rim merging into said stepped formation in a plane below the plane of the outer rim, the opposite ends of the partition rim being flared at their junctures with the ofiset formation to provide widened reinforcing portions.

HARRY G. COORDES. 

